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"I only wanted to help you, Richard," she sobbed. "I only wanted to teach you."
He hushed her. "I know. I know. It will be all right."
She shook her head against his shoulder. "No it won't."
"Yes it will. You'll see."
Finally, her hands came up, clutching his shirt as she cried. Richard didn't try to stop her tears, he simply held her, trying to give her comfort.
"Do you really think that you could teach me to use the gift, and that then the Sisters would take the collar off?"
She sniffled. "That is my job. That is what I have been training for. I wanted so much to show you the beauty of the Creator, of his gift to you. That is all I wanted."
Her arms circled him. She clung to him, as if trying to soak up succor. He stroked her hair.
"Richard, when I touched you yesterday, when I touched your Rada'Han, and felt something of your Han, I felt some of your feelings. I know you hurt inside. It made me hurt just to feel a little of it."
Her hand came up to the side of his neck, as if to comfort him. "I don't know of many things that can cause that much hurt. Richard, I'm not asking to take her place."
Richard's eyes closed as his head sank down on her shoulder. He swallowed back the pain. She ran her fingers through his hair and held his head to her.
After a time, he found his voice. "Maybe it wouldn't hurt me to occasionally wear one of those outfits."
She pushed away a little, looking up through her tears. "Maybe just to the dining room, with the Sisters?"
He shrugged. "That would be a good use of them, I guess. You pick one you would like me to wear. I don't know anything about fancy clothes." He managed a small smile. "I'm just a woods guide."
Her face brightened. "You would look handsome in the red coat."
Richard winced. "The red one? Does it have to be the red one?"
She ran her finger down the Agiel hanging from his neck. "No, it doesn't have to be that one. I just thought it would look good on your broad shoulders."
Richard sighed. "I will feel foolish in any. It might as well be the red."
"You will not look foolish; you will look handsome." Pasha grinned. "You'll see. All the women will be batting their lashes at you." She lifted the Agiel. "Richard, what is this?"
"Just sort of a good luck charm. You ready to go back? I think you need to get started teaching me. The sooner you start, the sooner I get this collar off. Then we'll both be happy; you will be a Sister, and I will be free."
He put his arm around her shoulders and she put hers around his waist as they walked back for Bonnie.
53
On the bridge to Halsband island, in a pool of light under a lamp, a crowd of boys and young men mobbed them. Many were dressed in fine clothes, some wore robes, and each had a Rada'Han around his neck. They all excitedly asked questions at the same time, wanting to know if it was true that Richard had killed a mriswith, and what it looked like. They wanted to tell Richard their names, and clamored for him to draw his sword and show them how he had vanquished the legendary monster.
Pasha spoke to the most persistent boy at her hip. "Yes, Kipp, it's true that Richard killed a mriswith. Sister Maren is studying it now, and if she deems it appropriate, she will tell you of its nature. But I can tell you true that it is a fearsome looking beast. Now, off with you all. It's nearly dinner time."
Despite their disappointment that no more information was forthcoming, they were excited by what they had heard. They ran off in a bunch to tell others.
After leaving Bonnie at the stables, Richard walked with Pasha down halls and through vast chambers, trying to memorize the layout. She pointed out the boys dining halls, and the dining hall where the Sisters and some of the older young men ate. She also took him past the kitchens, where the aromas of cooking wafted through the surrounding corridors.
Pasha pointed through a lattice-covered archway to a graceful stone wall running under the spreading branches of trees. The wall was veiled in places by vines. Large white flowers dotted the green.
"That is the Prelate's offices, and quarters," Pasha said.
"Will she be at dinner tonight?"
Pasha giggled softly. "No, of course not. The Prelate does not have time to have dinner with us."
Richard turned out of the hall and down a walkway toward a gate in the wall.
"Richard! What are you doing? Where are you going?"
"I want to meet the Prelate."
"You can't simply go visit her!"
"Why?"
She hurried along beside him. "Well, she is a busy woman. She can't be bothered. They won't let you see her. The guards won't even let us through the gate."
He shrugged. "It won't hurt to ask, will it? Then, after, you can pick an outfit for me, and we'll go to have dinner with the Sisters. All right?"
The offer of letting her pick his outfit gave her pause. Pasha stuttered that she supposed it wouldn't hurt just to ask and struggled to keep up as he marched toward the guard. The guard stepped before the iron gate, spread his feet, and hooked his thumbs on his weapons belt as Richard strode right up to him.
Richard put a hand to the man's shoulder. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me. Please? I didn't get you in any trouble, did I? I hope not. She hasn't come out to yell at you, yet, I hope."
The man frowned in confusion as Richard leaned closer. "Look... what's your name?"
"Swordsman Andellmere. Kevin Andellmere."
"Look Kevin, she said she would send the guard at the west gate to get me if I was even one minute late. She probably forgot to send you out. It isn't your fault. Look, Kevin, I promise I won't mention your name. I hope you're not angry with me."
Richard put his back to Pasha and leaned even closer to the guard. "You understand." He rolled his eyes meaningfully toward Pasha and then gave the man a wink. Kevin glanced to Pasha as she fussed with her tangled mat of hair. "Eh? You understand, I'm sure. Look, Kevin, say you'll let me buy you an ale. Will you? I better get in there before I get you in trouble, but before I go, promise me you'll let me buy you an ale, to make it up to you?"
"Well, I suppose I could let you buy me an ale..."
Richard clapped Kevin on the shoulder. "There's a good man."
Pasha was right on Richard's heels as he stormed past the guard and through the gate. He turned and gave Kevin a wave and a smile.
Pasha leaned close. "How did you do that? No one gets through the Prelate's guards."
Richard held the door into the building opened for her. "I just gave him too much to think about, and a worry he feared might be true."
When an answer came
to her knock, they stepped into a dimly lit room with two desks, and two Sisters.
Pasha curtsied. "Sisters. I am novice Pasha Maes, and this is our new student, Richard Cypher. He was wondering if he might meet the Prelate."
Both Sisters glowered at her. The one on the right spoke. "The Prelate is busy. Dismissed, novice."
A little pale, Pasha curtsied again. "Thank you for your time, Sisters."
Richard gave a little bow. "Yes, thank you, Sisters. Please give the Prelate my kindest regards."
"I told you she wouldn't see us," Pasha said on the way out.
Richard hiked his pack up higher on his shoulder. "Well, we gave it our best try. Thanks for indulging me."
He had known that Pasha had been right, that the Prelate wouldn't see them, but he had seen what he had come to see. He had only been interested in knowing the layout of the building and grounds for future reference.
Richard hadn't changed his mind about his captivity, but he had decided to try a different approach for a while. He would bide his time, and see what they could teach him. Nothing would please him more than to be released from the collar without having to hurt anyone.
In the building that housed his room, Gillaume Hall, named after a prophet, Richard had learned, a young man came hesitantly out of the shadows on the lower level, before the wide marble stairs. His head of curly blond hair was cut short at the sides. His hands were stuck into the opposite sleeves of his violet robes. Silver brocade circled the cuffs and neck. He looked smaller than he was because of the way he hunched over.
His head bowed to Pasha while his blue eyes searched for a safe place to settle. "Blessings on you, Pasha," he said softly. "You look lovely tonight. I pray you are well."
Pasha squinted in thought. "Warren, isn't it?" His head bobbed, surprised that she knew his name. "I'm fine, Warren. Thank you for asking. This is Richard Cypher."
Warren gave a sideways look and smiled shyly at Richard. "Yes, I saw you before the Sisters, yesterday."
"I suppose you, too, want to know about the mriswith," Pasha said with a sigh.
